Seal-lock.



A. A. DE A. DE'GASTRO.

SEAL LOOK.

APPLICATION FILED J LY 25, 1906.

Patented Apr. 26, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHBET 1.

Tia-

IN VE N 70/? Elam; fla d cie 0mg W/T/VESSES ATTORNEYS Anunsyl a ammm 130.. wuow-grmpcnmm WASnJNGTON D.C:

ADA. DE A. .DE CASTRO.

SEAL LOOK.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 25. 1906.

Patented Apr. 26, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOH 4 JFZZBIZO Ede fideflzsiro 4 WITNESSES hv/mw/u 9 ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ALBERTO ALVARES DE AZEVEDO DE CASTRO, 0F SAO PAULO, BRAZIL, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO HENTZ GOAOHMAN, 0F SAO PAULO, BRAZIL.

SEAL-LOCK.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERTO A. DE A. on CASTRO, a citizen of the Republic of Brazil, and a resident of Sao Paulo, in the Province of Sao Paulo, Brazil, South America, have invented a new and Improved Seal-Lock, of which the following is a full, clear, and eX act description.

This invention is an improvement in locks which can be used with advantage for a safe, and where effective locking means is desired, but is more especially designed to be used with money remitting pouches, mail bags or anything in fact which requires a lock that cannot be tampered with without leaving clear proof of such molestation be hind.

Among other objects of the invention is to construct a lock of this character which shall be simple and compact, easily operated by those in proper authority and who understand it, but cannot be operated by others without breaking a seal, thus leaving traces of its previous opening.

A further object is to so construct the lock that the seal on the interior thereof can be inspected to determine its condition when desired, without requiring the opening of the lock.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved lock when used in connection with a mail bag or other pouch, the bottom of the bag being broken away; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view of Fig. l on an enlarged scale with the protective cover plate withdrawn to inoperative position, being the first step in the locking process, the key for releasing the cover plate being shown in this figure engaged, in dotted position; Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of Fig. 2 with the bag as attached t0 the frames shown in dotted lines; Fig. 4 is a longitudinal, sectional view through the lock just under the face plate; Fig. 5 is a transverse, sectional view on the line 55 of Fig. 4-; Fig. 6 is a similar view on the line 66 of said figure; Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the inside of the face plate; Fig. 8 is a transverse, sectional view through the bag or pouch frame near one end thereof showing it closed in full lines and opened in Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 25, 1906.

Patented Apr. 26, 1910. Serial No. 327,669.

dotted outline, and Fig. 9 is a longitudinal, sectional view on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

The numeral 1 indicates a bag or pouch with an open, upper end riveted or otherwise secured to metal frames made up of angle irons 2 and 8, extending across the top and also at the sides of the bag for a short distance, where they are pivoted together by rivets 4 made fast to the frame 2 and slidable in slots 5 in the frame 3, the frame 2 being of such size and conformation as to fit into the frame 8 when the bag is closed. Each edge of the frame 2 is flanged at 6 and 7, the outer flange 6 being much wider than the flange 7, and similar to a flange 8 on the frame 3, to afford suflicient attaching space to the bag. The middle of the frame 2 is inset to form a depression 10 at the center of the upper, horizontal portion of the flange 6 in which the improved lock is to be seated and secured, this construction being best shown in Fig. 3. Above the rivets 4 in the frames are secured rivets 4 to the frame 3 adapted to be projected into Lshaped slots 5 and slide therein when the frames are closed and the sliding movement of the pivotal connection is operated. The horizontal portion of the frame 3 is much in the nature of a channel iron 3 in cross section, and of such width as to snugly embrace the horizontal portion of the frame 2 when the frames are closed and the rivets 4 and P slid to one end of the slots 5 and 5 respectively, as shown in Fig. 8. The flange of the channel iron 3 is cut almost entirely away opposite the inset portion 10 of the frame 2 in order that this flange may not interfere with the lock when secured in place. A casing 11 is secured in this depression of the frame 2, by means of screws 12 at each side and a screw 12 passing through the center of the lock, the whole being reinforced at the top edge by a block 12, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

Pivoted to the bottom of the casing on 190 pins 13 are pawls 14, with hooked shaped up per ends 15 forced normally toward each other by springs 16 bearing on pins 17, the like ends of the springs 16 being aflixed in kerfs in the pawls at the outside thereof. 3195 One of the pawls 14; has an inwardly projecting toe 14: for purposes hereinafter made apparent.

Secured to the top of the lock casing by the screws 12 is a face plate 18 shown in detail in Fig. 7 said face plate having guides 19 at each side thereof to project over the edges of the lock casing, and stop lugs 19 at the end of each guide. Riveted at each side to the inner face and upper portion of the face plate adjacent to the guides 19 are spring plates 20 carrying pins 21 projecting through holes in the face plate, and to a slight distance beyond the outer face thereof. A wider spring plate 22, in all respects similar to the plates 21, but curved outwardly at its lower end, is riveted to one side of the inner face and lower portion of the face-plate and carries a number of pins 21 two being shown, similar to the pins 21. To the bottom portion of the lock casing 11 is riveted or otherwise secured a plate 23, forming at its outer ends a hinge connection for a flap 24: passing through a cut-out portion 25 in the bottom of the face plate, and adapted to be seated in a rectangular recess 26 in the outside of the face plate, said flap having attached to its inner face an eye 27 adapted to be projected through a hole 28, in the face-plate, where it is automatically engaged with the toe 14 A fiap 24- has a key opening adapted to aline with a key opening 29 in the face-plate when the flap is closed, the key for releasing the flap being designed, when inserted in the key openings, to force the pawls 1st apart and disengage the toe 14 from the eye 27, and also disengage the hooks 15 from a T-shaped keeper 15 fixed to the frame 3 and passing through an opening in the top of the lock casing.

Slidably mounted on the guides 19 is a cover plate 30 bent inwardly at its opposite side edges to embrace the guides 19 and form guideways therefor, as best shown in Fig. 3. The inner face of the cover plate contains recesses 31 near the lower edge arranged to be engaged by the spring-pressed pins 21 when the cover plate is elevated to its uppermost position, thereby forming an automatic stop for the same and preventing its complete withdrawal from the lock. The beveled ends of the pins 21 adapt the cover plate to push these pins inwardly when the cover plate is downwardly forced, the cover plate being arrested in its downward movement when the walls of the guideways strike the stops or lugs 19. The guideways may be slotted out for the depth of the lugs 19, as indicated at 32 in Fig. 3, in order that when the guideways and lugs contact, the bottom edge of the cover plate will be flush with the lower edge of the lock, where it is engaged by the pins 21 entering the recesses on the inner face of the cover plate, thereby securely locking the same against sliding movement. When the cover plate is thus locked in this position an oblong hole 33 covered over with mica or other transparent material 3 1 entering a slot in the bottom side of the cover plate, alines with the key hole 29, and insures the ready observance of the condition of a seal 35 placed between the flap 2-l and the recess 26 in the face of the lock and over the key hole. It is mani- 'festly impossible with the seal 35 in this position, to unlock the flap 24s and keeper 15 without breaking the seal by the insertion of the key, which condition of the seal is readily seen through the mica covering 34. For releasing the pins 21 from the recesses in the cover plate in order that the cover plate may be withdrawn to the position shown in Fig. 2, for the purpose of having access to the key hole 29, is provided a pair of holes 36 in the bottom side of the lock casing leading in alinement with the curved edge of the spring 22, by inserting in these holes pins with beveled edges. which I preferably attach to the head of the key, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, and forcing the key inwardly, pushes back the spring 22 by the cam engagement of the pins on the curved edge of the spring. thereby drawing inwardly the pins 21 and allowing the cover plate to be withdrawn.

In the operation of my improved device, the bag or pouch, after the desired contents have been placed in it, is closed by sliding the frames 2 and 3 apart on their pivotal connection and pressing them until the frame 2 is contained within the frame 3, when the latter is pressed down until the keeper 15 carried thereby automatically engages the hooked ends of the pawls 14:. The positions of the flap 2a and the cover plate 30 will then be as indicated in Fig. 2. A seal in the shape of a sheet of paper or other material with a post mark placed on it near the key hole, is inserted in the recess 26 and the flap brought up and pressed in locked position, which retains the seal in place. The cover plate 30 is then pushed down until it strikes the stops 19 and also becomes locked by the pins 21 engaging the recesses on its under face. It is now impossible to unlock the bag or pouch without the fact being discovered when the same comes into the hands of the proper party or parties by whom itmay be opened.

It is evident that the details of construction hereinbefore described may be widely varied to fall within the scope of my invention; and I therefore do not regard the precise construction as material so long as it falls within the scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. The combination of a'lock, a face plate secured thereto, a key hole in the face plate, a cover slidable on the face plate and adapted to inclose the same, spring-pressed pins for locking the cover plate over the face plate, the cover plate having an opening therein for observing the key hole in the face plate when the cover plate is locked, and a transparent material covering said opening.

2. The combination of a lock, a seal container within the lock, a cover arranged over the outer face of the lock, having a trans parent portion through-which the seal container is observable, and means to lock the cover to the lock, inaccessible at the outside thereof and independent of the locking mechanism of the lock.

3. The combination of a lock having a keyhole, a cover arranged over the outer face of the lock, having a transparent portion through which the keyhole is observable, and means to lock the cover in place on the lock, inaccessible at the outside thereof and independent of the locking mechanism of the lock.

4. The combination of a lock having a key-hole, a cover plate slidable over the face of the lock, having a transparent portion through which the key-hole is observable, and means to automatically lock the cover when moved to position over the face of the lock.

5. The combination of a lock having a key-hole, a cover plate for the face of the lock having a transparent portion through which the key-hole is observable, said cover plate having recesses on its inner face, and spring-pressed pins carried by the lock and arranged to snap into the recesses of the cover plate when the latter is moved to operative position over the face of the lock.

6. The combination of a lock having a key-hole, a flap arranged to bind the seal to the face of the lock over the key-hole, and a cover plate independent of the flap and movable over the face of the lock, having an opening through which the seal is observable.

7. The combination of a lock having a key-hole, a flap arranged to bind a seal over the key-hole and hinged to the lock, and a cover plate slidable over the outer face of the lock and covering the flap.

8. The combination of a lock having a locking mechanism and provided with a keyhole through which the said mechanism is operated, a seal holder arranged to retain a seal over the key-hole and locked in place by the said mechanism, a cover plate movable over the face of the lock and having an opening through which the seal is observable, and means to lock the cover plate in place.

9. The combination of a lock having a face plate provided with a depression in the outer face thereof and having a key-hole leading into the depression, a seal holder arranged to seat in said depression and bind a seal over the key-hole, a cover plate movable over the face of the lock, having an opening, a transparent material arranged over the opening in the cover plate, and means to lock the cover plate to the look when the opening is moved to a position to permit of the inspection of the seal therethrough.

10. The combination of a lock having locking pawls adapted to engage a keeper, with one of said pawls having a locking projection, said lock having a key-hole through which the pawls are adapted to be operated, and a seal holder hinged to swing to the outer face of the lock and bind a seal over the key-hole and having an eye adapted to engage with said projection.

11. The combination of a lock having a keyhole, and a seal holder constructed and arranged to retain a seal over the key-hole, when in operative position permit of the insertion of the key and a cover plate independent of the seal holder and movable over the outer face of the look.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALBERTO ALVARES DE AZEVEDO DE CASTRO.

Witnesses:

CARLOS LA MONTEUR, MANOEL LIBEiRO DE ZEVA no Sonar). 

